Competitive swimming was included in the first modern Olympic Games in 1896 and has since continued as a competitive sport. Today competitive swimming events include not only the traditional races held in swimming pools, but also races in open water, such as the swimming legs of triathlons. In almost all modem competitive swimming events, the swimmer will wear conventional swimming goggles, such as those shown in FIG. 1 designated by numeral 110. Goggles are used to increase the swimmer's vision under water and to shield the swimmer's eyes from contaminants such as salt in the ocean, or chlorine in a swimming pool. The prior art goggles currently in use have a pair of lenses 112 which are coupled together by a nose bridge 114. The outer perimeter of the lenses is typically surrounded by a foam rubber padding ring which acts as a sealing material. This foam padding ring is placed against the eye-socket area of the swimmer. Extending rearwardly from the outside edges of the lenses is an elastic strap 116 which is placed around the swimmer's head to exert a force on the foam padding rings so that water is prevented from flowing into the spaces between the lenses and the swimmer's eyes.
The swimming goggles currently in use, however, suffer from several disadvantages. First, the swimming goggles leak when in use. This leakage allows water and contaminants to enter the spaces between the lenses and the swimmer's eyes. At some point during the competition, the swimmer may experience discomfort or impaired vision due to the water which has entered these spaces. Enough water may leak into these spaces to cause the swimmer to empty the goggles and reseal the lenses against the swimmer's face. This is disadvantageous in a competition because time is spent away from advancing towards the finish line.
Different materials have been employed for the padding rings of conventional goggles in an attempt to form a better seal between the lenses and the swimmer's face. These materials have improved the performance somewhat, but leakage problems remain. It has been found that the major point of leakage is along the upper margins of the padding rings. As best seen in FIG. 1, the prior art goggle lenses protrude outwardly from the swimmer's face. As the swimmer propels himself forwardly through the water, the protruding section of the lenses causes a turbulent flow of water around the lenses. This turbulence can exert forces on the goggles sufficient to cause the upper portions of the goggle lenses to rotate away from the swimmer's face. If the lenses so rotate, the seal between the padding rings and the swimmer's face will be at least partially broken, thus allowing water to leak into the areas between the lenses and the swimmer's face
Another method of discouraging leakage is to increase the force applied to the lenses with the elastic strap, in an attempt to overcome the forces caused by the turbulence discussed above. The force necessary to do so can result in discomfort to the swimmer as the goggles are forced inwardly against the eye and eye socket. Thus, developments in padding ring materials and elastic strap designs have not completely solved the problem of leakage.
Another disadvantage of prior art goggles is the increased drag caused by the protruding lenses of the goggles as the swimmer propels himself through the water. In competitive swimming events, every effort is made to reduce the drag caused by the swimmer and his equipment. Reduced drag results in improved hydrodynamics and can result in lower times to complete the event. Therefore, the protruding goggle lenses not only cause potential leakage problems, but also cause the swimmer to experience increased resistance as he travels through the water.
Also worn by the competitive swimmer is a swimming cap represented in FIG. 1 by the numeral 118. Conventional swimming caps are worn over the head of the swimmer and are used to increase the hydrodynamics of the swimmer by containing the swimmer's hair, thus reducing the drag caused by the swimmer's head and hair. Swimming caps are also used by swimmers in open water to alert others to the swimmer's presence. The swimming caps are brightly colored for use in this fashion. Currently, a swimming cap is needed in addition to the swimming goggles. This necessitates first putting the swimming cap on, and then putting the swimming goggles on. This also necessitates having to keep track of two pieces of swimming headwear.
Therefore, a piece of swimming headwear is needed that will reliably prevent leakage around the lenses of swimming goggles. Further, a piece of swimming headwear is needed that will improve the hydrodynamics of the swimmer in the water by reducing the drag caused by the headwear. Finally, a piece of swimming headwear is needed that combines the typical swimming goggles and the swimming cap into a single unit.